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Reinforcing Steel what you should know

11/8/2020

6 Comments

 
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Reinforcing steel comes in bars which are normally tied together to form a cage. The bars come in different grades or strengths and can be smooth or deformed (with small ridges). Sometimes the reinforcing is in a ready-made mesh which comes in standard sized sheets or rolls.
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Reinforcing gives concrete structures their strength and also prevents shrinkage cracking. Engineers design the reinforcing that goes in the structure. It’s important that the reinforcing is placed in the positions indicated on the reinforcing drawings, and that where the reinforcing (or mesh) joins it overlaps with the next bars. It’s obvious that the right size bars (or mesh), of the right grade and deformations is used, otherwise the structure could fail.

Reinforced concrete is usually used in foundations and concrete slabs in houses, for 2nd floor slabs and balconies, and for concrete roofs.
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Reinforcing bars Image by Wolfgang Borchers from Pixabay
​Reinforcing should not be too close to the bottom, sides or top surface of the concrete. Usually the reinforcing is designed to have a minimum cover (distance from the outside edge of the concrete) which could be 25, 30, 40, 50 millimetres (one to two inches). The cover often depends on the structure and the conditions the concrete will be exposed to. Harsh conditions near water, and especially sea water will require a bigger distance from the edge of the concrete so that the reinforcing is better protected. Reinforcing that’s too close to the edge of the concrete could mean that the concrete can’t get around and under the steel bars so the bars could be left exposed, which means that the reinforcing will corrode and also that it won’t do its job. Water also penetrates the first layers of concrete and steel close to the surface will rust. Rusted reinforcing expands, which then breaks the concrete around the steel. This is unsightly and weakens the structure. Rusting reinforcing also leaves ugly rust marks on exposed concrete.
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Unfortunately, sometimes reinforcing isn’t adequately supported and when the concrete is poured workers walk on the reinforcing squashing it deeper into the concrete and below where it should be. Reinforcing which isn’t where it should be in the concrete can result in a weakened structure and cracking on the surface. Always ensure mesh reinforcing layers are fixed correctly so that they stay in the right position, even after the concrete is poured.
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For reinforcing to be effective it should be clean, not contaminated with grease and oils and relatively free of rust so that the concrete sticks to it. When reinforcing is delivered to the site it should never be stacked immediately on the ground, but should rather be raised off the ground on timber poles. Reinforcing should be used as soon as possible after it’s delivered, certainly within a few weeks.
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Welded mesh reinforcing. Image by congerdesign from Pixabay
Generally an engineer should inspect structures before concrete is poured to ensure that the correct reinforcing has been used and it’s fixed in the correct place.
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Sometimes engineers replace steel reinforcing bars with fibres, which could be steel or synthetic. The fibres are mixed into the concrete during the mixing stage.

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6 Comments
Taylor Hicken link
22/6/2021 11:08:10 am

I appreciated it when you shared that it is crucial for an engineer to inspect structures before concrete is poured. This will help to ensure that the correct reinforcing has been used and it’s fixed in the correct place. I would like to think if a company needs to acquire reinforced steel for its project, it should consider working with a reliable service that can provide it.

Reply
TNN Engineering link
10/1/2022 07:59:16 am

Awesome content and very informative that every home builder can refer through it.

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Bendigo Concreting link
13/7/2022 12:49:46 pm

That reinforcement is so important! But some clients want to argue against it due to cost increases.

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Jessie Holloway link
17/9/2022 04:07:25 am

I never thought about how steel could be less effective as a reinforcer if it's covered in grease or rust. My uncle has a large project going in his backyard he's doing himself and he's been talking about needing to reinforce the concrete walls he's trying to build. He's been looking into finding a place to buy steel from to help him with the project.

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Victoria Addington link
27/6/2023 04:27:45 pm

I liked how this post shared that reinforcing steel must not be contaminated with grease and oils. My friend wants to install pool reinforcing steel. I should advise him to work with an expert in pool reinforcing steel installation to ensure quality work.

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Alice Carroll link
22/2/2024 04:07:08 am

You made a good point that avoiding rust should also be a priority when it comes to using steel materials. I'm interested in looking for a good provider of reinforcing steel because I'm thinking about preparing the foundation of new pool. The ground in the local area can be a bit soft so I have to make sure that the rebar would be very durable.

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  • Construction Home
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